


Canticle of Thieves

by CourierNinetyTwo



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-20
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-11-16 16:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11256936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo
Summary: Ann and Makoto stand on the crossroads of their future.





	Canticle of Thieves

**Author's Note:**

> Commissioned by thehaakun!

Makoto graduated from the police academy at the top of her class.

No one was surprised, considering her relentless pursuit of excellence, but it wasn't a test solely of academics. Ann had woken up too many times before dawn to find Makoto doing pushups in the living room, notes open below her face so she could review the day's courses while getting stronger. It was hard to mind the interruption of sleep when the older woman switched to doing them one-handed, breath sharp but controlled with every repetition. Considering how busy they both were, Ann would admit those moments of quiet observation in the morning made up some of the few times she had Makoto to herself for months on end. 

Some nights she hated it, especially when photoshoots took her out of the country and they lost the stability of the same time zone, but Makoto always texted her at the end of the day, calling whenever there was a good opportunity. While there was no question that she would still be busy with day-to-day operations now, Makoto could at least come home when a case was finished rather than being locked into the academy's schedule.

So there was only one thing to do, and that was celebrate.

Ann invited everyone the two of them knew, rounding up old friends and acquaintances with equal enthusiasm. In Ryuji's case, it was just a matter of bothering him down at the gym where he worked, but Yusuke had been on some artistic sabbatical where he wandered around forests and beaches with only a bag on his back, only charging his phone every few days. Futaba still lived just down the street from LaBlanc where Sojiro continued to make a living, and Ann begged him to cater. He hadn't taken more than a moment's convincing, merely asking how many people were going to show up.

Haru offered her a ballroom to throw the party in at one of Tokyo's finest hotels, and after a look at the state of her and Makoto's apartment, Ann immediately accepted. She sent out extra invites to everyone who wanted to bring a plus one or two, including an entire set to Akira in case he had friends back home that wanted to come. He'd never said as such, but Ann guessed he was a pretty popular guy since he ran one of the best -- and only -- all-around repair shops in the area. Having spent her entire life in huge cities, the idea of living that far out in the sticks boggled her, but at least he seemed happy. 

Sae said yes before she could even hand over a card. Morgana, of course, had invited himself. 

Keeping all the organizing a surprise was the most difficult part, but Ann was used to the outrageously complex logistics of the fashion world, and more than willing to cajole and threaten whoever she had to in order to maintain the secret. When the night in question came, she texted Makoto the location for their 'date', waiting down in the lobby while everyone else hid up in the ballroom, waiting with food, cake, and gifts.

She was a few minutes late, but Ann knew the rumble of that motorcycle anywhere, polished chrome shining under the hotel's front lights as Makoto rolled to a stop. Cropped dark hair was somewhat mussed when she pulled off her helmet, and Ann's heart leapt in her chest at the sight of warm, wine-dark eyes turning her way. The leather jacket was for protection on the roads, sure, but that didn't make the look any less killer. 

"Sorry, there was some traffic." After storing her helmet in the saddlebag and fixing several flyaway hairs in the bike's mirror, Makoto turned around to face her again and smiled wide. "You look stunning." 

"This is a date, you know." Ann teased, trying to sidestep any suspicion.  

"A date on any old Friday night, not our anniversary." That crimson gaze almost pierced her through, curiosity carrying Makoto's eyes down the generous line of her cleavage to the hem of her very red dress. It wasn't the same shade, but Ann liked that they complemented each other.  "Or my birthday."

"If it was your birthday, I'd have been at home waiting in bed." Spying a tie under the open zipper of Makoto's jacket, Ann reached forward and seized it between her fingers, pulling enough to make her girlfriend take a step forward. "But right now you're the one making me wait."

A flash of heat crossed Makoto's face before she leaned in for a kiss. "I'm very sorry."

Ann took her time accepting the apology, then grabbed Makoto's hand to take her through the lobby and towards the elevator. Unfortunately, they had to pass by the restaurant to get there, and the older woman was nothing if not observant.

"Um, Ann? Aren't we--" Another tug on her fingers brought them both into the waiting elevator car before Ann pressed the button on top. "Does this place have two restaurants?"

She had to give some bait before Makoto started putting two and two together. "I arranged something special with the hotel, okay?"

Of course, Makoto immediately began glancing around the elevator for some sort of clue, but thankfully only the penthouse was labeled, and getting there took a special key she didn't need to have. Ann steadfastly ignored her curious look until the doors opened again, keeping tight control of Makoto's hand to bring them both down the hall and to the entrance of the ballroom, which was so extravagant Ann was slightly concerned about leaving her fingerprints on the golden handles in front. Still, she turned and yanked them open, not wanting to give Makoto any time to ask what was inside.

"Congratulations, Makoto!" Futaba yelled first, jumping out into the open first and throwing handfuls of red confetti everywhere.

Everyone else followed suit, coming out from the sides of the room and shouting, full of smiles and laughter when Makoto had to shake her head to get all the shredded red paper out of her hair. She was stunned quiet for a good minute, and Ann gave her hand an encouraging squeeze as Akira stepped forward carrying the cake. It was in the shape of a gun of all things -- apparently Iwai had the mold laying around -- but had Makoto's name written in cherry frosting along the barrel along with well-wishes, fake plastic badges arranged around the edges of the tray.

"Ann, you..." Words still seemed difficult, although she was smiling so much that Ann couldn't take it as a bad thing. "You did all this for me?"

"Of course I did." It was a good thing she had applied her strongest eyeliner, because tears were a given at some point tonight. "I'm proud of you, babe. You worked so damn hard."

"It's setting me on my path for the rest of my life." Makoto said softly.

Ann could barely reconcile how the years had flown by from the first moment that Makoto declared she was going to become police commissioner, how they had both laughed about how her life of crime was really going to come in handy there. She caught Sae in the corner smiling at them both and felt her throat tighten, so glad that both sisters had gotten close and stayed that way, working past old scars until they could be family again. 

Then Makoto let go of her hand and dropped onto one knee. "So will this." 

Looking down, it took a moment for Ann to parse the velvet box in Makoto's hand, a ring peeking out from its plush center. There was a diamond in the middle of the band, flanked by two red stones, and all three of them were cut in the shape of hearts, facets glittering under the light of the ballroom. 

"Makoto--" She gasped, eyes wide. 

"Takamaki Ann, will you marry me?" Makoto asked, face flushing a bit pink now that everyone was watching the two of them.

Ann didn't care; her world had shrunk down to Makoto and only Makoto, the box clasped between slightly shaking hands. "Yes! Of course, yes, oh my god--"

Even more confetti was tossed as Makoto slipped the ring onto her finger, and it was right then Ann realized their friends must have known this was going to happen too. She stared around the room in shock, looking at more than a dozen smiling faces.

"It was a hard secret to keep." Sojiro said, wiping his glasses clean to hide watery eyes. "But I think it was worth it, huh, girl?"

"I can't believe you managed to steal my party." Ann said with a laugh, helping Makoto to her feet while trying not to cry at the same time.

"You stole my heart." Makoto's eyes were wet too, but she didn't try and conceal anything. "I think it's only fair." 

She threw her arms around Makoto's shoulders in a tight hug and kissed her right on the lips, amused at the whoops and cheers as she dipped Makoto down for just a moment with the force of it. They stayed that way for a few minutes until Ann thought she might just burst from happiness, unable to even spare a moment's concern that her previously immortal eyeliner had met its match.  

"You have presents." Ann hiccuped, wiping her eyes as they finally parted. "I want this night to be for you too."

"It will be." Fingers linked around hers and squeezed, pressing against the new ring. "But let's spend it together."

A mess or not, she managed a wink. "As you wish, my Queen." 

"Better keep up with me, Panther." Makoto shot back, and leaned in for another kiss.

Ann gladly would -- for the rest of her life. 

\--

 

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Aria of Hearts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12018873) by [CourierNinetyTwo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourierNinetyTwo/pseuds/CourierNinetyTwo)




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